The linking of the Sebou and Boregreg river basins ensures the water supply to Rabat and Casablanca

The Prime Minister of Morocco, Aziz Akhannouch, visits the water motorway

El primer ministro marroquí visita las instalaciones de conexión de las cuencas de los ríos Sebou y Bouregreg

José Ángel Pedraza

30 de agosto de 2023 (14:01 h.)

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Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch visited, on Tuesday 29 August, the interconnection point of the Sebou and Boureg river basins in El Arjate. This is a major project, urgently undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works and Water of Morocco to alleviate the serious situation caused by drought.

Last Monday, 28 August, the new interconnection infrastructure was put into operation, allowing the first cubic metres of water from the Sebou basin to reach the Bouregreg.

The Moroccan prime minister talks to the engineers and workers who built the infrastructure (PHOTO/FILE)

During his visit, Akhannouch stressed that “in accordance with royal directives, this project will serve to supply water to Casablanca, but above all to Rabat. The water that was being wasted and flowing directly into the ocean will now be diverted, thanks to this 70-kilometre motorway, to the Bouregreg basin”.

The Prime Minister welcomed the commitment of the Ministries of Water, Agriculture, Finance and the Interior to this mega-project, which has been carried out for the most part by Moroccan companies and in record time: “This project, which should normally have taken three years to complete, is now in its final pase”, he declared with satisfaction.

Detail of the channel linking the basins of the two rivers (PHOTO/FILE)

The new canal will reach its planned flow of one million cubic metres per day by the end of October.

According to information provided by the Moroccan government, this mega-project is in line with the directives of King Mohammed VI's speech of 14 October 2022, on the occasion of the opening of the first session of the second legislative year of the eleventh legislature, on the interconnection of river basins.

The total cost of the project is estimated at around 6 billion dirhams (547 million euros) and includes a water catchment facility at the Oued Sebou dam; 67 kilometres of steel canals with a diameter of 3,200 millimetres; two pumping stations with a flow rate of 15 cubic metres per second; and a basin to carry the water to the Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdullah dam reservoir.

Aziz Akhannouch listens to explanations about the project (PHOTO/FILE)

The project has involved a consortium of companies such as SGTM, Somagec and STAM-SNCE, in addition to the Research Office (CID) and the Public Laboratory (LPEE).

The Gharb Regional Office for Agricultural Development was in charge of monitoring the works.